Post Vardah, demand for native tree species up

Harihara Sudhan, the proprietor and business head of Kaivalya Garden Centre, said the demand has certainly gone up, after the cyclone. “The awareness has set in and people are opting for native species, of which we have around 40-50 varieties. We are also educating our customers on the varieties of native species, he said. 

“The most popular trees are Pungai Maram (Indian Beech), Poovarasu (Portia tree), Arasa Maram (Sacred Fig) apart from neem and tamarind trees. People, who are getting saplings, should understand that plants need care and should be nurtured at least for a year. Failing this, 90 per cent of the saplings  planted during drives, end up dying because there is nobody to care for it. We suggest that people invest in a tree guard and water it regularly, at least till it reaches a certain height,” said the tree lover. Harihara added that these native species can be bought from other states, in case the necessity arises. 

Some, like Arumugam, who runs the Sasi Nursery, said the cyclone had damaged their stock. However, he added, “We have been receiving requests  for native trees but for us to supply will at least take a few months. People have been asking for trees that are already 5ft high, so it is easy to maintain. But for that, it will take time.” 

After the cyclone, students of Loyola College had started their own nursery. “We acquired seeds and planted more than a hundred saplings, which we hope to grow and distribute. We have been creating awareness on the importance of planting saplings. In fact, during the last year, students chose to plant saplings in the college or in the nearby government schools for birthdays and convocations. We had planted close to 800 saplings in a year,” said Yuvaraj Raghu, a second-year BA English student. 

The Greater Chennai Corporation too is planning to plant more native species to recover the green cover. A senior official said, “Environmentalists will be consulted on which species should be chosen. Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust will be overseeing this process.”